Clasp



Juny 7, 1936.

R. W. COOK CLASP Filed May 9, 1935 Patented July 7, 1936i PATENT OFFICE CLASP Raymond W. Cook, Bristol, Conn., assigner to The Wallace Barnes a corporation Company, Bristol, Conn.,

Application May 9, 1935, Serial No. 20,552

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clasps, and more particularly to clasps for use on personal wear such, for example, as garters.

One object-of this invention is to provide an improved clasp which will securely fasten fabric without tearing the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved clasp `of maximum iiatness and thinness. V

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved clasp formed of simple elements, readily manufactured and readily assembled to produce an eicient, durable construction at minimum cost. l Y

With the aboverand other objectsin view, this invention includes all improvements over the prior art which aredisclosed in this application.

In the accompanying drawing,.in which certain ways of carrying out the invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a garter having a clasp thereon made in accordance with this invention; 5

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view-on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clasp shown in Figs. 1 and 2; I

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of clasp; Y

Fig. 5 isa sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a still further modied form of clasp; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View on line 1--1 of Fig. 3.

In the description and claims, the various parts are identified by speciiic names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the prior art will permit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 and '7 of the drawing, the clasp I0 includes a frame-member or frame II of resilient wire having an end-bar I2 and spaced-apart side-bars I3. The side-bars I3 have oppositely-extending upper ends I4 which are in overlapping relation but disconnected from one another, so as to have sliding action over each other. The ends I4 together form a loop-bar I5, to which is attached a depending portion I6 of a garter I1. The end-bar I2 is provided with a gripping-edge I8, preferably formed by making the end-bar I2 in iiattened form, shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 7, and arranged at an incline, as shown, to provide a camming action to aid in the easy locking of the clasp.

A clasp-member I9, formed of resilient sheetmetal, has two oppositely-extending arms 20 bent around and mounted to slide along the sidebars I3 of the frame. The clasp-member I9 also has a grip-tongue 2i. When the clasp-member I9 is in the locked position, the arms 20 of the clasp-member engage the two inset portions 22 of the side-bars I3, and the engagement of the arms 20 against the shoulders 23 prevents the clasp from becoming unlocked. The frame-member I I is made of resilient metal and When the sideportions 24 of the frame are pressed toward each other, this narrows the frame and permits the clasp-member I9 to be slid along the portions 25 of the side-bars I3 until the arms 20 engage against-and are limited by the shoulders 26 of the side-bars. In this open position (indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2), the grip-tongue 2I is mainly located at one side of the frame-member II. When it is desired to clasp a piece of fabric by the clasp, the grip-tongue 2I is pressed transversely of the frame II to bring it to a line' below the top of the inclined gripping-edge I8, whereupon the clasp-member I9 is slid forward or the garter strap is pulled rearward until the end 21 of the grip-tongue 2I engages the inclined surface 28 of the end-bar I2, whereupon further movement results in a camming action to force the grip-tongue 2I to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. When the clasp-member I9 reaches this locking position, the resiliency of the frame I-I causes the side-bars I3 to spring apart and thus lock the clasp-member I9 against passage beyond the shoulders 23. The shoulders 23a limit the downward movement of the claspmember I9.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the parts are generally the same, the main difference being that the frame 29 is formed of resilient sheet-metal, and instead of having the end-portions 3D in overlapping relation, they are spaced apart in the manner shown to permit limited movement toward one another, to permit the clasp-member I9 to be slid to unlocked position. The end-bar 3l is bent or twisted to give it an inclined position, to bring about camming action similar to that of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the frame-member 32 is formed of a piece of resilient sheet-metal provided with an opening 33 at its upper end for attachment to a garter or the like, and having side-bars 34 and an end-bar 35. A clasp-member 36, formed of resilient sheetmetal, has side-arms 31 bent around the side-bars 34 to be slidable therealong. The resilient griptongue 38 of the clasp-member 36 is provided with a curled end 39 adapted to be engaged beneath the struck-up portion 4D of the end-bar 35 providing a gripping-edge. The clasp-member 36 is held in locked position by engagement of the resilient locking-tongue 4| against the rear edge 42 of the clasp-member 35. To unclasp the clasp, the resilient locking-tongue 4l is pressed down and the clasp-member 3S slid away from its locking engagement until the rear edges of the sidearms 3l engage against the limit-shoulders 43 formed on the frame-member 32. The shoulders 44 limit the downward movement of the claspmember 36.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and alll changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A clasp comprising: a frame-member having two spaced-apart side-bars and an end-bar bordering a frame-opening through said framemember, said end-bar having a gripping-edge inclined to the general plane of the frame-member; a clasp-member slidably but not pivotally mounted on said side-bars and having a transversely-resilient sheet-metal grip-tongue to be sprung transversely and provided with a gripend to cooperate with said inclined gripping-edge to grip a fabric; and means adapted to releasably lock said clasp-member with said grip-end in gripping position.

2. A -clasp comprising a frame-member having two spaced-apart side-bars and an end-bar bordering a frame-opening through said framemember, said end-bar having a gripping-edge inclined to the general plane ofthe frame-member; a clasp-member slidably but not pivotally mounted on said side-bars and having a transverselyresilient sheet-metal grip-tongue to be sprung transversely and provided with a grip-end to co'- operate with said inclined gripping-edge to grip a fabric; and a resilient locking-tongue on said frame-member adapted to releasably engage and lock said clasp-member with said grip-end in gripping position.

3. A clasp comprising: a frame-member having two spaced-apart side-bars and an end-bar bordering an opening through said frame-member, said end-bar providing a gripping-edge; a clasp-member slidably but not pivotally mounted on said side-bars and having a resilient griptongue with the grip-end thereof normally located at one side of said frame-member when in unclasped position; said clasp being adapted to have the grip-end of said grip-'tongue sprung transversely through said frame-opening and have said clasp-member slid along said side-bars to bring said grip-end to gripping position adjacent said gripping-edge; and means adapted to releasably lock said grip-end in gripping position.

l4. A clasp comprising: a frame-member having two spaced-apart side-bars and an end-bar bordering an opening through said frame-member, said end-bar providing a gripping-edge; a clasp-member slidably but not pivotally mounted on said side-bars and having a resilient sheetmetal grip-tongue with the grip-end thereof normally located at one side of said frame-member when in unclasped position; said clasp being adapted to have the grip-end of said grip-tongue sprung transversely through said frame-opening and have said clasp-member slid along said sidebars to bring said grip-end to gripping position adjacent said gripping-edge; and means adapted to releasably lock said grip-end in gripping position.

5. A clasp comprising: a frame-member having two spaced-apart .side-:bars and an end-bar bordering a'n opening through said frame-member, said end-'bar having a gripping-edge inclined to the rgeneral plane of the frame-member; a claspmember slidably but not pivotally mounted on said side-bars and having a resilient sheet-metal grip-tongue with the grip-'end thereof normally located at one :side of .said frame-member when in unclasped position; said clasp being adapted to have the grip-end of said grip-tongue sprung transversely through said frame-opening and have said clasp-member slid along said side-bars to bring said grip-end to gripping position adjacent said gripping-edge.; and means adapted to releasably lock said grip-end in gripping position.

RAYMOND W. COOK. 

